Environmental

Resources for Environmental Due Diligence

Devens maintains a repository of current and historical documents that may be helpful for property owners and prospective property owners performing due diligence work.

Contact

Anne Marie Dowd, Environmental Project Engineer
MassDevelopment
33 Andrews Parkway, Devens
857-345-2859

Former Fort Devens Superfund Site

The Fort Devens Superfund Site was listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Priorities List in 1989. The U.S. Army and EPA signed a Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) in 1991. Under the FFA, the U.S. Army is considered the lead agency and EPA provides oversight as the lead regulatory agency. Although not a signatory to the FFA, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has a participatory role in the investigation and remediation process. The U.S. Army holds primary responsibility for investigation, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of all removal, response, and remedial actions performed at the former military base.

Historical Contamination

The U.S. Army evaluates Study Areas across the former federal facility where releases of contaminants are suspected or known to have occurred and determines whether those areas pose a threat or potential threat to human health and the environment and warrant more detailed investigation. Of the 324 sites initially identified by the Army, 54 required cleanups.

Environmental Cleanup

Of the 54 sites identified as needing cleanup, all have been evaluated and either removed from further evaluation/action or have cleanup plans in place. Most of these sites are in the long-term monitoring phase, where groundwater, surface water, and/or sediments are regularly monitored. Sites where contamination remains above levels that allow for unrestricted use/unlimited exposure have land-use controls in place and are inspected annually. Sites with ongoing cleanup actions must be evaluated at least every five years to ensure that the selected cleanup action remains protective of human health and the environment.

Devens Regional Enterprise Zone

The end result of the Superfund process at Devens is to clean up land that was once considered contaminated and return it to productive use. To date, approximately 1,080 acres have been transferred to other federal agencies and almost 3,000 acres have been transferred to MassDevelopment. MassDevelopment, in turn, transfers the land to private parties for commercial, industrial, residential, recreational, open space, and other positive uses.

Current PFAS Remedial Investigation

In response to EPA comments, the U.S. Army performed an Expedited Site Investigation in 2016 to evaluate the possible presence of emerging contaminants known as poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), specifically two PFAS – perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) – at the former Fort Devens. The study also included sampling of Devens and nearby municipal water supply wells. Based on initial data collected, the U.S. Army, MassDevelopment, MassDEP, and EPA agreed that a more comprehensive site-wide investigation was warranted. In 2018, the U.S. Army commenced a site-wide PFAS Remedial Investigation that included collection of soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment samples and municipal water supply well samples to identify possible source areas and delineate the full extent of PFOA/PFOS contamination within and beyond former base boundaries. This investigation is ongoing. While the Army conducts its PFAS investigation, MassDevelopment decided to act early and independently to treat all of its drinking water wells so that PFAS levels in the finished drinking water are below state and federal regulatory limits. Please see the Utilities for more information on Devens’ drinking water supply.

Public Information and Participation

The U.S. Army holds quarterly Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meetings to update the public on the status of the cleanup. The EPA, MassDEP, MassDevelopment, and the People of Ayer Concerned about the Environment are regular attendees.